Apr 26, 2021 7:00pm Clinicians and health systems will likely need to provide additional support to COVID-19 survivors, according to two studies outlining new and persistent care needs among patients who were never hospitalized for their initial infection. (Getty/Geber86) Patients who were not initially hospitalized for treatment of their COVID-19 infection still face frequent health issues and require additional care in the months following diagnosis, according to a pair of studies published late last week. The data suggest new diagnoses and an increase in healthcare demand across a range of specialties following the first month of acute COVID-19 illness among those with both low- and high-acuity cases.